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FSU Football’s Best Players For The 2016 Season: No. 9

By Jason Parker

Nov 14, 2015; Tallahassee, FL, USA; Florida State Seminoles running back Jacques Patrick (9) runs the ball past North Carolina State Wolfpack defensive end Bradley Chubb (49) during the second half of the game at Doak Campbell Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Melina Vastola-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 14, 2015; Tallahassee, FL, USA; Florida State Seminoles running back Jacques Patrick (9) runs the ball past North Carolina State Wolfpack defensive end Bradley Chubb (49) during the second half of the game at Doak Campbell Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Melina Vastola-USA TODAY Sports /
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Here is a look at some of the best players for FSU football heading into the 2016 season.

When FSU football kicks off the 2016 season in just over one month against the Ole Miss Rebels from Camping World Stadium in Orlando, there is plenty of expectation for what the year will have in store for the Seminoles. Coming off a national championship just three years ago, Florida State is expected to be one of the early favorites for a spot in the College Football Playoff after the regular season.

How far the Seminoles will go (and if they can win the fourth national championship in program history) will depend on the play of their talent roster. With arguably the deepest group of talent in the history of FSU football, the 2016 ‘Noles could go down as the best team in school history of things play out as expected.

The question remains unanswered, though: who are the best 10 players on the 2016 FSU football roster. It’s a hard question to answer, with talent on both sides of the ball including maybe the best players at certain positions in the entire country.

It’s a question that saw talents like wide receiver Auden Tate, cornerback Tarvarus McFadden and quarterbacks Malik Henry and Sean Maguire not make the final cut…which should tell you something about the talent that did make our list.

Here’s our countdown of the best 10 players on the 2016 FSU football team.

No. 9 – Jacques Patrick (Running Back)

Sophomore / Orlando, FL (Timber Creek)

While it is no shock that Dalvin Cook will be the starter at running back for the Seminoles in 2016 (more on him later), head coach Jimbo Fisher is comforted to know that if something happens to his star (injury, needs rest, etc.), he has a quality player who can take the ball and run with it.

In his freshman year, Patrick emerged as the main go to player for the Seminoles when Cook was absent for the team’s October 31st win over Syracuse. In relief, Patrick only ran for 162 yards and three touchdowns in a win over the Orange…becoming just the second player in program history to run for over 100 yards in his first start (joining current Atlanta Falcons starter Devonta Freeman).

For the year, Patrick found the end zone five times and ran for over 300 yards on the season with a yards per carry average over five for the season. Patrick is a big, physical player who has the strength to run inside the tackles and go one-on-one for the extra yardage, but also bounce to the outside and show a burst of speed that will keep defensive players on their toes whenever Patrick is in the backfield.

FSU football hopes that Patrick isn’t the main running back until at least 2017 (assuming Cook leaves after next season), but it is a big plus to have that second option. With Mario Pender being dismissed after spring football and Ryan Green not being able to distance himself, Patrick looks to be the future at running back for the Seminoles.

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